Delaware Nation partners with OU Libraries to digitize tribal artifacts
Summary
Emerging technologies librarian Kristi Wyatt (standing) and graduate student Omkar Reddy Tallapally will help preserve artifacts for the Delaware Nation. Visitors to the Delaware Nation Museum and Library in Anadarko will also be able to view the digitized artifacts onsite.The collaboration ensures the preservation and accessibility of cultural history for future generations, says Kristi Wyatt, emerging technologies librarian at University Libraries.By creating these 3D models, we make the collection more accessible online, she said.The grant helps buy equipment used in photogrammetry, a process that uses photos to measure and interpret features on a surface, enabling the creation of precise 3D models and maps from 2D images. It is widely used in fields such as engineering and geography to document and analyze spatial data.Along with Wyatt, two graduate students are responsible for 3D scanning the artifacts, handling them with care, recording metadata and configuring camera and lighting setups.Our student employees will play a part in helping preserve cultural history, which is awesome. (Photo/OU)The digitized collection reduces risks of physical degradation and provide global access through an online platform. This fosters the Delaware Nations mission of revitalizing and perpetuating our cultural heritage for future generations, Speck said.